Dry transfer and method

ABSTRACT

A nontacky adhesive coating composition for use over indicia on a surface of a dry transfer sheet, the adhesive comprising by weight 50 to 90 percent wax, 1 to 10 percent of a pentaerythritol ester of rosin, 5 to 30 percent of a pressure-sensitive adhesive, from 0.5 to 5 percent of an amino-substituted alkanol and from 0.5 to 5 percent of an alkaline hydroxide.

United States Patent Karlan [451 Jan. 18, 1972 [54] DRY TRANSFER ANDMETHOD [72] Inventor: Mac Karlan, 1700 Grand Concourse,

Bronx, NY. 10457 [22] Filed: Oct. 19, 1966 211 App]. No.: 857,751

[52] US. Cl. ..117/3.l, 1 17/15, 161/167,

156/234, 156/240, 106/230, 260/27 [51] Int. Cl. ..B4lm 5/02, C08c 11/70[58] Field 01 Search ..260/24, 27, 28,5, 28.5 A, 732,

260/733, 28.5 AV, 28.5 B, 584; 161/167; 156/230, 240, 234; 106/230, 30,29, 31; 117/361, 122 PA,

3,212,913 10/1965 MacKenzie ..117/3.1

3,298,850 1/1967 Reed et a1 ..156/230 OTHER PUBUCATION S Hercules Resinsfor Adhesives Pages 7-9 cited. 195 l Primary Examiner-Robert F. BurnettAssistant Examiner-R. J. Roche Att0rneyLackenbach & Lackenbach [5 7]ABSTRACT A nontacky adhesive coating composition for use over indicia ona surface of a dry transfer sheet, the adhesive comprising by weight 50to 90 percent wax, 1 to 10 percent of a pen taerythritol ester of rosin,5 to 30 percent of a pressure-sensitive adhesive, from 0.5 to 5 percentof an amino-substituted alkanol and from 0.5 to 5 percent of an alkalinehydroxide.

8 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures WENHEB m a s= ..2

SHEET 2 BF 2 sup BRAND fr fHllmuu INVENTOR MAC. KARLAH 2 6 4 nw'mwm Thisinvention relates to transfers (decalomanias) and more particularly to aform of transfer material inwhichan image, design or printed matter,herein generally referred to as .indicia may be transferred from acarrier sheet to a further support. The invention includes transfermaterials, their production, adhesive compositions useful in theinvention, and the process oftheir use.

Transfer sheets which consist of a carrier sheet carrying certainindicia which may be transferred from the carrier sheet to a support arenow well known and great effort has been directed to the productionofsuch materials which will permit transfer, and close register, of anyindicia with ease, speed and reliability and which will give the samequality of transfer consistently.

More recently attention has been directed to the manufacture of transfersheet materials from which the indicia may be transferred without theuse. of any treatment liquid by socalled dry transfer methods."

Some of these materials require the use of heat in order to release theindicia from the carrier support, for example, for the purpose ofsoftening a waxy release layer. More recently it has been proposed toapply to the surface of the indicia a pressure-sensitive adhesive sothat the indicia, which is very firmly adherent to thepressure-sensitive adhesive layer, will release from the carrier supportand adhere with the same adhesive to another support. This latter typeof product has necessitated a protective sheet over thepressure-sensitive adhesive which sheet tobe peeled away as a necessarystep immediately prior to the transfer of the indicia to anothersupport. Protective sheets were necessary since otherwise the transfermaterial was impossible to handle as a commercial article due to itsreadiness to stick to anything placed in contact with it, such as sheetsof such material one against the'other, and accordingly sheets could notbe stacked for packing purposes. Among other disadvantagesin such sheetswas the actual operation of removing the protective sheet which in manyinstances resulted in the pulling away from the carrier sheet of thepressure-sensitive adhesive and part or all of the indicia.

In my earlier patent, U.S. Pat. No. 3,013,917, Karlan et al., there isdescribed and claimed a dry transfer sheet wherein the support sheetsare chemically treated to facilitate release of the indicia from thetransfer sheet and the indicia is treated with certain adhesives toinsure adherence thereof to a surface receiving the indicia. In saidearlier patent the adhesives employed are any of the waxes of a naturalor synthetic nature. The wax is applied in liquid form so as to minimizedisturbance of the coherent film. pressure-sensitive ink comprising theindicia. Upon drying, the dry wax adhesive coat forms an excellent bondwith the coherent ink film and a useful and commercially attractiveproduct results.

While the transfer sheets of my earlier patent are. commerciallysuccessful products, certain disadvantages in use and handling exist.For example, in shipping the sheets of my earlier invention during hotperiods of the year, the wax has a tendency to melt because of the highheat in the trucks or railroad cars or other means of transportation.Also small particles of residue which detractsomewhat from their. useresultiduring transfer of the indicia to a support.

I have now found that the minimal disadvantages of my earlier transfer.sheets can be eliminated and certain new highly desirable advantages canbe achieved by my present invention. In brief, 1 have now been able toproduce transfer sheets which may be shipped in hot weather withoutdeleterious effects, which have a stronger affinity for the. surface towhich applied, which have substantially longer shelf life and whichleave less residue upon the support surface upon transfer of the indiciathereto.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to providea dry transfer sheet with transferable ink indicia wherein the indiciabeing transferred has strong affinity for the surface to which applied.

Another primary object of this invention is to provide a dry transfersheet with transferable ink indicia which will ensure strong adherenceof the indicia transferred to the surface receiving the indicia.

Yet anotherprimary object of the: present invention is the provision ofdry transfer sheets which may be subjected to high temperatures, forexample, extremes in hot weather, without any deleterious effect.

Still a further primary object of this invention is the provision of anadhesive formulation which makes possible the desired advantages aboveenumerated.

As in my earlier patent, the invention contemplates the provision of adry transfer sheet with transferable ink indicia on one surface and withhorizontal and spaced vertical guidelines preferably on the othersurface, for arranging the transfer indicia in a desired style or line,with particular reference to correct horizontal or vertical spacing ofthe separate characters on a suitable background.

Other objects and important features of the invention will be apparentfrom a study of the specification following taken with the drawing,which together show, illustrate, describe and disclose a preferredembodiment of the invention and what is now considered to be thebestmode of practicing the principles thereof. Other embodiments ormodifications may be suggested to those having the benefit of theteachings herein, and

such other embodiments or modifications are intended to be reservedespecially as they fall within the scope and spirit of the subjoinedclaims.

In the Drawing:

FIG. 1 is a rear view of the dry transfer transparent sheet withvariousinked characters thereon adapted to be transferred to a plainsheet;

FIG. 2 is a face view of a plain sheet to which the character shown on adry transfer sheet in FIG. ll may be transferred;

FIG. 3is a cross-sectionalview of the dry transfer sheet shown in FIG.1, the thickness of the various materials applied to the sheet beingexaggerated;

FIG. 4 is a front view of the dry transfer transparent sheet overlyingthe plainsheet, showing how the inked characters on the transfer sheetare dry transferred to the plain sheet;

FIG. 5 is a face view of a plain sheet shown in FIG. 2 and now bearingsome of the transferred characters;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary front view of a dry transfer transparent sheetembodying a modified form of the invention with various dry transferableink characters on a rear surface thereof and with guidelines on thefront surface thereof, and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary rear view of a dry transfer sheet shown in FIG.6.

Referring now in greater detail to the drawings, for the purpose ofillustrating the invention,.in FIG. I there is shown a rectangular basesheet 10 of thick pellucid, nonelastic sheetlike "material, such astranslucent paper, calendered parchment, onion skin paper, tough tissuepaper, cellulose acetate sheeting, cellulose acetate butyrate sheeting,vinyl polymer (polyvinyl chloride or polyvinyl acetate) sheeting,polystyrene sheets, cellophane, and the like. Similarly sheets made frompolyolefln materials, such as polyethylene, polypropyleneand the like,are normally suitable for use in this invention. Said base sheet hasprinted on the rear surface 12 thereof, in reverse position as viewedfrom the rear of the sheet (FIG. 1) and in normal reading position asviewed from the front of the sheet, a number of designs or characters ina form of upper case letters 14 of the alphabet, lower case letters 16,punctuationmarks 18, and numbers 20. The letters are convenientlyarranged alphabetically and the numbers conveniently are arrangednumerically. Each base sheet 10 preferably has two or more sets ofletters, punctuation marks,

numbers and the like. The designs. or characters are printed in spacedrows on the sheet and the spacing between the rows of designs andbetween the individual designs is sufficient to permit each character tobe worked on by a rubbing or buinishing implement without interferencewith adjacent characters.

The rear surface 12 of the sheet base is treated to provide the pellucidrelease coating as indicated at 22 before the characters are appliedthereon, so as to facilitate the release of said characters from thetreated rear surface in a manner which will be described hereinafter.The release coating can be applied to said rear surface 12 of thepellucid sheet in any well-known manner, for example, by spraying,brushing, dipping, casting, silk-screening, calendering ordoctor-blading. Chemicals for release coatings are well known per se, asare their applications as release coatings to paper and sheetings, ingeneral release chemicals being employed which are compatible with thesheet 10. Typical chemicals for release coatings 22 which aresatisfactory in the practice of the instant invention are certainsilicones and quilon. The former are organopolysiloxanes and the latteris a stearatochromic chloride made by E. I. du Pont de Nemours &Company, Inc. Any of the commercially available silicones may beemployed. For example base sheet 10 may be spray coated withdimethyldichlorosilane and then heat calendered. Also, modifiedsilicones can be used, e.g., Syl-Ofi 23," a solution of a silicon rubberpolymer in xylene, made by Dow Corning Corp., of Midland, Mich., thesame being heat cured on a base sheet after spray coating.

The indicia are printed over the release coating using acoherent-film-forming transferable-when-dry ink, which may be black,white or any desired color. The ink generally employed is insoluble inwater.

The rear exposed surfaces of the designs or characters comprising theindicia on the release coated sheet 10, are coated with an adhesiveformulation, hereinafter described, indicated at 24 so that said indiciacan be adhered to a sheet 26 adapted to receive the same. The coherentfilm characters formed by the ink adhere to the rear release coatedsurface of the transparent base sheet and also adhere to the adhesivecoating, but the adherence to the adhesive coating constitutes aconsiderably stronger bond than the adherence to the release coated rearsurface of the transfer sheets.

The adhesive formulations of this invention found eminently suited inproviding the advantages described comprise any wax melting at 110 F. orhigher, a synthetic rosin resin, a pressure-sensitive adhesive, an aminosubstituted alcohol and an alkaline hydroxide.

in formulating the adhesive compositions of this invention any of thewaxes, natural and synthetic, melting at 110 F. or higher may beemployed. Preferably it is desirable to use a clear, that is, waterwhite or a white wax, such for instance as a high melting pointpolyethylene wax, microcrystalline wax, spermaceti wax or carnauba wax.However, although these waxes are preferred, other waxes can be used,such for instance, animal, vegetable or mineral waxes of any kind.Typical thereof are petroleum waxes, paraffin waxes,paraffinicnaphthenic waxes, beeswax, castor wax, candelilla wax, and thelike.

The rosin resin may be one of the group manufactured by Hercules PowderCompany and known commercially as Pentalyn resins. Typically, theseresins comprise a group of pentaerythritol esters of rosin, inunmodified maleic and phenolicmodified types. Particularly useful in thepresent adhesive formulations are the Pentalyn resins designated asPentalyn H and Pentalyn K.

Any one of a number of pressure-sensitive adhesives may be employed inthe formulation to augment the adhesive characteristics of the waxprovided it retains sufficient tack after thorough drying to permitbonding pressure. Typical of such pressure-sensitive adhesives as aresuitable are EC-791, a clear, transparent oil-soluble elastorner in ahighly volatile petroleum solvent and manufactured by Minnesota Miningand Manufacturing company. This adhesive is a clear stationer's adhesivethat retains pressure-sensitivity when dry so that it retains sufficienttack after thorough drying to permit rebonding under light pressure. Itis commonly known as a rubber cement and is classified under FederalSpecification ZZ-C-l9la, type (cement, rubber-artists andphotographers). Another pressure-sensitive adhesive which may beutilized is Double Tack, a reclaimed rubber-based pressuresensitiveadhesive manufactured by Sloman Laboratories. Other useful pressureadhesives will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

The amino alcohols suitable in the present formulation comprise theclass of alkyl and amino substituted aliphatic alcohols, represented byl-ethyl, Z-amino-ethanol, l-ethyl, 2- amino-propanol, and the like.

The alkaline hydroxide component of the formulation may be any of thealkaline hydroxides but preferably sodium hydroxide.

The various components above described may be employed in varyingamounts in the preparation of the present adhesive formulations. Thusthe wax may comprise the major component and in use comprises a solutionin a hydrocarbon solvent ranging from 10 to percent by weight of wax.The Pentalyn resin usually comprises from 1 to 10 percent by weight ofthe formulation with 3 to 7 percent being preferred. Thepressure-sensitive adhesive is usually used inamounts corresponding to5-30 percent by weight of the formulation with 10-20 percent beingpreferred. The amino alcohol may be employed in an amount ranging from 5percent with l-3 percent being preferred. The alkaline hydroxide is usedin an amount rang ing from 0.5-5 percent, 1-3 percent being preferred.As mentioned above, the wax is the major component and may be used inamounts corresponding to 50 to 90 percent by weight of the formulation.

The adhesive formulations are prepared by first preparing a l0-90percent solution of the wax in a hydrocarbon solvent and then adding tothis solution the other components of the formulation with vigorousagitation. Agitation is required to provide a stable composition ofuniform consistency.

The adhesive formulations herein described enable the production of thenew and novel transfer sheets of this invention. Sheets embodying theseadhesives have demonstrated no adverse effects when subjected to hightemperatures for long periods and as a result shelf life is considerablyincreased. In use, substantial improvements over competitive productshas been observed in the affinity with which the indicia transfers tothe support being printed on. Similarly, on transfer to another surfaceconsiderably less residue appears on the sur face.

Without intending to be bound by any particular theory in connectionwith the components of the formulation, it is believed that'the rosinresin adds to the body of the wax without causing a continuous film andit also elevates the melting point of the wax. Similarlyfit is believedthat the amino-alcohol bites into the release agent on the carrier sheetso that the transfer remains clear. The alkaline hydroxide is alsobelieved to add to the bite properties of the amino-alcohol.

In order that those skilled in the art may more fully comprehend theinvention and its scope the following example of a typical adhesiveformulation is given.

EXAMPLE I Component by Weight (I) Pentalyn H 3% (2) Pressure sensitiveadhesive (EC-791) 15% (3) l-ethyl Lamina ethanol 2% (4) Sodium hydroxide2% (5) Polyethylene wax-Allied Chemical 0212 (50% solution in methylenedichloride) 78% These components were stirred vigorously and a stableadin the manufacture of the present transfer sheets, the ink is appliedto the release coated rear surface of the transfer sheet in anywell-known manner. While silk screening is preferred, any method ofprinting such as flexography, letter press, offset or web can beemployed. Preferably the ink is applied in a fashion which will permit areasonably thick heavy deposit thereof so as to obtain a stable coherentfilm upon drying of the film.

The adhesive formulation which is applied as a coating 24 over the rearrelease coated surface of the base sheet and over the rear exposedsurface of the indicia after they have dried, is applied in anywell-known fashion, for example, by brushing, silk screening, rollercoating or spraying. The thickness of the adhesive film is not critical.However, it is preferred that a comparatively thick film be employed asthis is more economical and will create less interference on thefinished sheet to which the indicia have been applied by dry transfer.

The dry adhesive coat 24 thus deposited forms an excellent bond with thecoherent ink film, as has already been pointed out, and no special stepsneed be taken to effect this bond. The bond is considerably strongerthan the bond between the coherent ink film and the release coated rearsurface of the nonelastic pellucid transfer base sheet lit). Usually,the adhesive is applied over the whole surface of the printed side ofthe base sheet and it is found that it will shear upon burnishing aroundthe elements of the printed indicia so that only the adhesive coat onthe printed indicia will transfer.

By way of specific example, a dry transfer sheet embodying the presentinvention comprises a base sheet 10 of polyethylene, a quilon releasecoating on the rear surface thereof, dried inked characters formed froma slow drying China oil enamel with an additive of about 5 percentcobalt blue as a dryer, and adhesive coating over the dried inkcharacters, as well as the release coated rear surface of the base sheet10 where no characters are present, and exclusive ofthe margins.

By placing the back of the dry transfer sheet 10, with the inkcharacters thus downwardly, upon another sheet such as the sheet 26shown in FIG. 2, the sheet 26 can have selected coherent dried ink filmcharacters on the sheet 10 applied or transferred to the sheet 26 byrubbing, that is, burnishing, the front surface of the ink bearing drytransfer sheet over the characters to be transferred without the aid ofchemicals, water, heat, liquids of any nature, or electricity. That isto say, various selected ink characters can be accurately applied to aplain sheet 26, or any other surface, by a dry transfer method onlyinvolving rubbing. This is shown by way of example in FIG. 4 in which itis seen that the character H is being transferred to the sheet 26 byrubbing the face of the transfer wheel 10 with a burnishing tool 28.

Any desired character on the sheet 10 may be transferred to the sheet 26by rubbing the front surface of the dry transfer sheet 10 at the placeoccupied on the rear .surface by the character selected. By placing thedry transfer sheet 10 over the sheet 26, with the rear surface downwardand positioning the selected character at the place on the sheet 26 thatis desired, and then merely by rubbing the front surface of the drytransfer sheet 10, the desired coherent dried ink film character will betransferred to the sheet 26 at the desirable lace. p Any suitableavailable implement 28 may be used for effecting the rubbing, providedit has a smooth yet hard and preferably blunt and rounded end. The sheet26 should not be permitted to move while the rubbing process is beingeffected and preferably is held down firmly by hand or by drawing pinsor other conventional method.

The sheet 26 shown in FIG. 5 illustrates the appearance of a series oftransferred characters.

in the modified form of the invention shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, anonelastic pellucid dry transfer sheet 10' has printed on the rearsurface 12' thereof a set of coherent film-dried ink designs orcharacters 114 in the manner described in detail hereinabove withrespect to the dry transfer sheet ll). in addition, on the front surfaceof the same sheet there is provided a horizontal guideline 30 below eachrow of characters and a series of spaced vertical guidelines 32 inassociation with and intersecting each horizontal guideline. Eachcharacter is bracketed by a pair of the aforesaid vertical guidelineswhich between them define a space 43 wherein such character is disposed.The guidelines 30, 32 are printed in a conventional manner and are nottransferable. These lines are employed to assist in the spacing andarrangement of the transferred characters on another surface. Forexample, when using the sheet 10', the operator will lightly draw a lineon a surface to which the characters are to be transferred. Then he willregister the horizontal line 30 with such lightly drawn line, using thehorizontal line 30 below a character which he is to transfer. Whenanother character is transferred, the horizontal line 30 in associationwith it is registered with the lightly drawn line, and the verticalguideline on the left-hand side of the second character beingtransferred will be placed close to the right-hand side of the characterpreviously transferred. in this manner the characters transferred areproperly horizontally registered and are nicely spaced from one another.

By reason of the present invention, printers, advertisers, artists, andthe like can readily place printed matter on copy they desire to employ,with particular reference to correct horizontal or vertical spacing ofthe separate characters.

While the invention has been shown, illustrated, described and disclosedin terms of the embodiments or modifications it has assumed in practice,the scope of the invention should not be deemed to be limited by theprecise embodiments or modifications herein shown, illustrated,described or disclosed, such other embodiments or modifications intendedto be reserved especially as they fall within the scope of the claimshere appended.

What is claimed is:

1. A nontacky adhesive coating composition for a dry transfer sheetwhich is highly resistant to inadvertent transfer but which, whentransferred, does so cleanly and without substantial residue comprisingfrom 50 to percent by weight of a Wax having a melting point of at leastF. and from i to 10 percent by weight of a pentaerythritol ester ofrosin, from 5 to 30 percent by weight of a pressure-sensitive adhesive,from 0.5 to 5 percent by weight of an amino-substituted alkanol and from0.5 to 5 percent by weight of an alkaline hydroxide.

2. The coating composition of claim 1 comprising from 50 to 90 percentby weight of wax, from 3 to 7 percent by weight of pentaerythritol esterof rosin, from 10 to 20 percent by weight of tacky pressure-sensitiveadhesive, from i to 3 percent by weight of amino-substituted alkanol andfrom I to 3 percent by weight of alkaline hydroxide.

3. The coating composition of claim 1 wherein the wax is a polyethylenewax.

4. As a new article of manufacture, a dry transfer sheet comprising:

a. a pellucid base sheet having a surface with high release properties,

b. a plurality of coherent, solid, spaced opaque dry indicia on the rearsurface of said base sheet, and

c. a dry coating of the composition of claim over the rear surfaces ofsaid indicia.

5. An article as set forth in claim 4 wherein the amino alcohol isselected from the group consisting of l-ethyl, 2- amino-ethanol andl-ethyl, Z-amino propanol.

6. An article as set forth in claim 5 wherein the release coating is asilicone and the wax is a polyethylene wax.

7. An article as set forth in claim 5 wherein the release coating is astearato-chromic chloride and the wax is a polyethylene wax.

8. An article as set forth in claim 4 wherein the coating extends oversubstantially the entire rear surface of the sheet and is firmly adheredto the release coating.

i IV b W i ll extending UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OFCORRECTION Patent No. 3,635,76 I Dated January 18, 1972 Mac KarlanInvento r(s) It is certified that error appears in the above-identifiedpatent 'and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shownbelow:

On the cover sheet [21] "Appl. No. 857,751" should read Appl. No.587,751

Signed and sealed this 17th day of October 1972.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting Officer Commissioner ofPatents FORM PO-1050 (10-69) USCOIMM-DC 60376-PB9 9 0.5. GOVERNMENTPRINTING OFFICE "I9 O3 6633|,

2. The coating composition of claim 1 comprising from 50 to 90 percentby weight of wax, from 3 to 7 percent by weight of pentaerythritol esterof rosin, from 10 to 20 percent by weight of tacky pressure-sensitiveadhesive, from 1 to 3 percent by weight of amino-substituted alkanol andfrom 1 to 3 percent by weight of alkaline hydroxide.
 3. The coatingcomposition of claim 1 wherein the wax is a polyethylene wax.
 4. As anew article of manufacture, a dry transfer sheet comprising: a. apellucid base sheet having a surface with high release properties, b. aplurality of coherent, solid, spaced opaque dry indicia on the rearsurface of said base sheet, and c. a dry coating of the composition ofclaim 1 extending over the rear surfaces of said indicia.
 5. An articleas set forth in claim 4 wherein the amino alcohol is selected from thegroup consisting of 1-ethyl, 2-amino-ethanol and 1-ethyl, 2-aminopropanol.
 6. An article as set forth in claim 5 wherein the releasecoating is a silicone and the wax is a polyethylene wax.
 7. An articleas set forth in claim 5 wherein the release coating is astearato-chromic chloride and the wax is a polyethylene wax.
 8. Anarticle as set forth in claim 4 wherein the coating extends oversubstantially the entire rear surface of the sheet and is firmly adheredto the release coating.